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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Babel selected as favourite...and other news.

Babel Label Selected As One of textura's Favourite label for 2014

At Babel we are delighted to have been chosen by the publication textura as a favourite label. textura has been around for 10 years focusing on experimental,electronic, jazz and classical music forms putting out 11 issues per year packed with reviews, interviews and articles.There is also the textura label on which three full-length recordings, Kubla Khan (2008), Esther Marie (2010), and Monuments and Ruins (2012) were released. The latter is a split work with two contrasting but connected soundworlds, one epic and memorializing and the other eerie and elegiac by Ben Chatwin and Damian Valle. The Canadian-based publication, every November selects ten labels whose
output 'dazzled' and stood out from the crowd in the past year. Along side
Babel the other labels chosen include: Cantaloupe, Denovali, Gruenrekorder,
Hubro, Innova, Metalheadz, New Amsterdam, Populist, Schole and Western
Vinyl. This time textura seem to have chosen eleven.There is a short but sweet revealing interview with Babel's capo Oliver Weindling reproduced below organized around the themes of Label identity, distinguishing characteristics, proudest accomplishments, currently promoting and the future.

Identity: The Babel Label was started by me, Oliver Weindling, twenty years ago. I like to call it a “jazz” label, reflectingan attitude and approach that j azz can have, in terms of pushing boundaries but without necessarily being unapproachable. That frequently overlaps with London's Vortex, where I help with the programming. Only part of this will be the traditional view of “jazz.”

Distinguishing characteristics: The label primarily reflects my taste (whatever it may be at any time). If the music has individuality, creativity, commitment and personality, with something unique to offer, then that's what really thrills me.

Proudest accomplishments: Survival for twenty years and releasing
over 120 albums. Thus helping one aspect of musicians on the scene
in London releasing their music to the world. Jack Massarik of The
Evening Standard said about Babel, “It brings to the public for
twenty years music that it doesn't want to hear.” My additional
word to that is “YET”! So all Babel releases rank more or less
equally as my proudest accomplishments.

Coming to the Vortex Jazz Club:Whahay 13/Nov/2014
Info: http://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/event/whahay/
Whahay is Paul Rogers (hybrid 7 stringed double bass), Robin Fincker (saxophone, clarinet) and Fabien Duscombs (drums). Their latest offering is a tribute to Charles Mingus' compositions which are revered but at the same time given a 'European free Jazz' treatment. There is also a solo set from another Babel artist James Allsopp on tenor saxophone.